458 



SECRETION OF PANCREATIC JUICE. [BOOK n. 



sorption may contribute to the first rise also, but it is more 

 probable that so marked and sudden a rise as this is carried 



1 2 1 3 | 4 1 5 | 6 | 7 1 8 1 9 1 10| II I J2| I3| 141 15j I6| I 1 2 1 8 I -41 5 | 6 1 7 1-8 9 1 10 



FIG. 69. DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING THE INFLUENCE OF FOOD ON THE SECRETION OF 

 PANCREATIC JUICE. (N. O. Bernstein.) 



The absciss represent hours after taking food ; the ordinates represent in c.c. 

 the amount of secretion in 10 min. A marked rise is seen at B immediately after 

 food was taken, with a secondary rise between the 4th and 5th hours afterwards. 

 When the line is dotted the observation was interrupted. On food being again 

 given at C, another rise is seen, followed in turn by a depression and a secondary 

 rise at the 5th hour. A very similar curve would represent the secretion of bile. 



out by some nervous mechanism. The details of such a mechanism 

 have however not as yet been satisfactorily worked out. 



The pancreas derives its nerves, which reach -it along its blood 

 vessels, from the solar plexus of the sympathetic system, but the 

 earlier origins of the fibres have not been traced out ; some of 

 them however certainly come through the plexus from the right 

 vagus, while others probably come from the splanchnic nerves. 



We have no clear and certain knowledge that these two sets 

 of fibres are related to the secretory activity of the pancreas in 

 a way similar to that in which the chorda tympani and cervical 

 sympathetic nerves are related to the secretory activity of the 

 submaxillary gland. Some observers have failed to obtain any 

 increase of secretion by stimulating the peripheral ends of the 

 vagus nerves ; but other observers have obtained positive re- 

 sults, the secretion, upon stimulation of these nerves, not only 

 increasing in quantity but changing in quality, the percentage 

 of solids being increased ; this secretory influence of the vagus 

 nerves moreover appeared to be prevented by atropin. Some 



